1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a food support, e.g., a solid or mesh basket, tray, or cooking sheet, for holding food items while heating or toasting in an oven.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Polymer coated cooking sheets and baskets are known for heating and toasting sandwiches in ovens. Such temperature resistant sheets or baskets are particularly useful for quickly toasting sandwiches in high speed or rapid cook ovens, such as are available from TurboChef Technologies, Inc. (Carroltton, Tex.) and/or MerryChef, Inc. (Fort Wayne, Ind.). High speed ovens typically incorporate several cooking elements, such as selected from hot air, infrared, radiant, conductive, and/or a microwave heating elements.
While being useful for toasting food items, known polymer coated cooking sheets and/or cooking baskets often lack the desired food support, durability, cleanability, heat dissipation (for proper cooking and/or operator safety), and/or appearance for commercial restaurants, particularly when food is prepared in view of customers. Also, these known sheets and baskets are typically removed from an oven with a pizza paddle or equivalent, which does not generally provide the fully desired stability for the removed sheet or basket. There is a continuing need for an improved cooking sheet or basket/tray for use in cooking various food items in high temperature/high speed ovens.